lencke



' 5 Sheets -Sh'eefi'I, 4 J. K. LENCKE 80 F. D. MERCHANT. I V CONTROLLER AND ARIGHTER FOR AIR BRAKE 'RBTAINERSi I (No Model.)

Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

'(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. K. LEN'GKE 8: P. D. MERCHANT. CONTROLLER AND ARIGHTBR FOR AIR BRAKE RETAINERS.

Patented Apr. 10

v 5 Sheets-Sheet sf J. K. LENQKE & F. D. MERGHANT. GONTROLLER AND ARIGHTER FOR AIR BRAKE RBTAINBRS. No. 517,954. j IZ atented Apr.,10, 1894.

(No Model.)

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. I 5 Shets-Slieet 4. J. K. LENOKE-& F. D. MERCHANT. CONTROLLER AND IARIGHTBRFOR AIR BRAKE RBTAINBRS.

No. 517,954. Patented-Apr. 10, 1894.

(No Model.) v v 5 Sheets-'Shet 5.

- J. K.'LENGKE' 8v 1?. D. MERCHANT.

CONTROLLER AND ARIGHTBR FOB. AIR BRAKE RETAINERS.

No. 517,954. P I ted Apr. 10, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. LENGKE AND FRANK D. MERCHANT, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA; SAID MERCHANT ASSIGNOR TO SAID LENOKE.

CONT ROLLER AND ARIGHTER FOR AIR-BRAKE RETAINERS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,954; dated April 10, 1894.

Application filed July 10,1393. Serialll'o. 480,027. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that we, JOHN K. LENCKE and FRANK D. MERCHANT, citizens of the United States, residing at Minneapolis,in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controllers and Arighters for Air-Brake Retainers; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a f ull,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Our invention relates to fluid pressure brake apparatus; and is in the nature of an r 5 addition to the controller for pressure retaining valve-mechanism, shown and described in the sole application of the applicant John K. Lencke, filed October 2, 1891, under Serial No. 407,587. Pressure retaining valve mech- 2o anism, as persons skilled in the art well know, are provided on the Westinghouse systemland the New York Air Brake Oompanyssystem, for the purpose of giving better control of a train, in running down long and steep 2 5 grades. This pressure retaining valve mechanism is so arranged that, when set for use, a limited pressure may be held on'the brakemotors and brakes, while the train-pipe and auxiliary reservoirs are being recharged. 0 The controller, described in the said above identified application of John K. Lencke, had for its object to control this retaining valve mechanism,for the entire train, by the 4 reduction of train-pipe pressure, at the will 5 of the engineer, through the engineers brake-f valve. This controller was found, in practice, to be completely operative, for the purpose intended. It had this limitation, however, to-wit: that attention of inspectors was required, at the time of the making up the train, to insure all the controllersv of the different cars occupying common positions. Of course, it was necessary that all the controllers should occupy common positions, for the 5 successful operation of the device on a train of cars. Otherwise, when the engineer reduced the train-pipe pressure, in order to throw the controllers into action and again recharge the train-pipe, some of the retaining 5o valve-mechanisms would be thrown into their closed and others into their open position;

man or other inspectors.

and when he desired to throw off the retainers, the like results would follow, some being thrown off and others turned on. In handling freight-trains, on account of, the repeated 5 5 cutting out and taking in of cars, the inspection, referred to, would be a serious drawback, Our present invention has for its object, to overcome the said limitation, which we accomplish by providing an arighter or aright- 6o ing device, for cooperation with the said controller on the said retaining valve mechanism; by the addition of which, whenever the arighter is actuated, the retaining valve mechanisms will be thrown or left standing in a common class of positions, either opened or closed, regardless of the particular positions, whether opened or closed, in which any of the said retaining valve mechanisms may have been thrown and left by the controllers, at their last preceding action. No attention, therefore, need be given to the pressure retaining valve mechanisms, on the various cars,when making up the train, by the brake- The recharging of the empty train-pipe will, of itself, through the arighters and controllers, insure the nor.- mal or open positions of the retaining valve mechanisms. Our preferred mechanism, for this purpose, will be hereinafter described in detail; and the novel features of the same will be defined in the claims. r

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein, like letters referring to like parts throughout the several views- Figure l is a diagram view of a brake apparatus, with the pressure retaining valve mechanism and our device, shown, in side elevation, in fully worked up lines. Fig. 2 is a diagram View, showing a series of our devices, in their 96 relation to the common train-pipe and engineers brake-valve, some parts being broken away. Fig. dis a horizontal section through our device, on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on the line X X of Fig. 5 3, looking from the front. Fig. 5 is a vertioal section, on the line X X of Fig. 3, lookingfrom the rear. Fig. 6 is a vertical section,

on the line X X of Fig. 3, looking from the rear. Fig. 7 is a view, in rear elevation, show- 100 ing the shut-off valve and a part of the casing. Fig. 8 is a detail, showing the shut-oh valve in front elevation detached. Fig. 9 is a vertical section through our device, on the line X X of Figs. 3 and 4, looking toward the right; and Fig. 10 is a vertical section, on the line X X of Fig. 4, looking from the right toward the left.

Referring especially to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the train-pipe, B the triple-valve, G the auxiliary reservoir, and D the brake-motor, of one of the standard 'Westinghouse air brake apparatus.

A represents the train-pipe connection to the triple valve, provided with the ordinary stop-cock A and B represents the connection from the auxiliary reservoir C to the triple-valve B.

G, Fig. 3, is the engineers brake valve.

The relation and general operation of these parts, is well known. It may, with ad vantage, however, be recalled to mind, that the train-pipeand auxiliaryreservoirsarecharged to equal pressures, from the main reservoir, through the triple-valve, which, in ordinary practice, is seventy pounds; that the brakes are set by a reduction of train'pipe pressure, the brake-motor cylinderbeing thrown into communication with the auxiliary reservoir, through the triple valve, under the equalizing action, on said valve, between the auxiliary reservoir and the train-pipe; that the proportions between the auxiliary reservoir and the brake-motor cylinders are ordinarily such, that, when the train-pipe pressure has been reduced sufficiently for maximum service application,the pressures in the auxiliary reservoir and brake-motor cylinder will equalize at fifty pounds. Hence, disregarding emergency applications, any further reduc tion of train-pipe pressure below fifty pounds, will have no additional effect on the brakemotor, but will simply bleed the train-pipe or unnecessarily waste air. Between seventy pounds and fiftypounds, the force with which the brakes will be set is dependent, in service applications, on the amount of the reduction in the train-pipe pressure.

In our controller and arighter, we utilize only gradual train-pipe reductions below fifty pounds. Hence, our device does not in anywise interfere with the ordinary actions of the brake apparatus. Service applications are not interfered with, because ourdevice is not thrown into action, unless the train-pipe pressure is reduced below fifty pounds, or the maximum reduction required for maximum service application; and the emergency action, is not interfered with, as the reduction to set emergency must be very quick, While the reductions to operate our device may be made gradual. Emergency will throw our device into action; but the reduction for operating our device will not set the emergency.

It may be here premised, that we employ the expression retaining valve mechanism, to cover and include all constructionswhether employing one or more valves--capabio of controlling the exhaust passage or passages, from the brake-motor, external of the triple valve, to give a free exhaust or retain a limited pressure, as may be desired. The expression retaining valve proper will be employed, where necessary for distinction, to designate that particular valve or element of the retaining valve mechanism, which of itself, when active, permits a limited escape while retaining a limited pressure in the brake cylinder.

Having regard, now, to the standard pressure retaining mechanisms, to whichour device is shown as applied, the brake'motors have a twoway exhaust passage external of the triple-valve, in one of which ways is 10- cated a rotary shut-off valve, andin the other,

a retaining valve proper.

In the drawings, f represents a pipe leading from the exhaust opening of the triplevalve to the two-way exhaust passage f f formed in the case or housing f f represents a rotary shut-off valve, capa- 'ble of a step-by-step movement in the exhaust wayf; andf f represents theretaining valve proper in the exhaust way f of which parts f is the valve proper, constructed of such weight as to close at the desired limitof pressure, say of fifteen pounds, and f is the cap for the same provided with external escape openings f Normally, the shut-off valve f is in its open position. If the same be thrown into its closed position, the exhaust from the brake motor must pass through the retaining valve proper f f", and will be stoppedwhen the pressure is reduced to fifteen pounds in the brake motor cylinder.

Turning now to our device, the housing'f' is provided with a cylinder g, fitted with a valve seated piston g, subject to train-pipe pressure on one side,and to a predetermined. back pressure on the other, obtainable as shown, bya resistance spring g suitably seated in the housing f The piston g is connected by a rod 9 with a crank-disk g loose on a ratchet-shaft The crank-disk g is provided with a spring-held pawl 9 which is engageable with the teeth of a ratchet disk g made rigid with the shaft g As shown, the ratchet g has a projecting angular hub g fitting between projecting clutch-lugs f on the rotary shut-0d valve The parts 9 and f are fitted together and turned up, to form a journal for the shaft 9 and the valve f The ratchet g being keyed to the shaft 9 and the parts f and g engaging as described, the valve f will be turned, with a step-bystep action, whenever the ratchet g is moved with the pawl g. The shut-01f valve f is provided with several openings f equi-distant from each other, and is held against a fiat or face seat f, by a spring f and co-operating centering pin f seated for a sliding movement in the valve-seat cap f. The shaft g is seated at its front end in asliding bearing block 9 which is subject to a spring g Both the block 9 and the spring 9 are seated in the front cap 9 closing the seat 9 of the housing f, for the pawl and ratchet devices. The spring g hasa tension of less than fifty pounds.

With the exception of certain detailsin'the construction, the cylinder 9 and the piston g, subject to train-pipe pressure on one side and the resistance spring g on the other, with the pawl and ratchet mechanism, for applying its motion to the shut ofi valve 3, constitute the controller for the pressure retaining valve mechanism fully described and claimed in the said pending sole application of John K. Lencke, Serial No.407,587. It is obvious, that with this device, so far described, whenever the train-pipe pressure is reduced below the tension of the spring g say forty pounds, the said springs will throw the said piston backward against the train-pipe pressure, and permit the pawl g to catch its notch in the ratchet g and when the train-pipe is again recharged to a point above forty pounds, the piston g will be given its out-stroke against the resistance of the'spring g and will be there held. This out-stroke will cause the pawl g to turn the ratchet g and the valve f one step or into its closed position. This, as hitherto described, will force the exhaust from the brakemotor to pass through the retaining valve proper f the effect of which will be to hold fifteen pounds pressure on the brake-motor. At the next reduction of train-pipe, below forty pounds and subsequent recharging of the train-pipe, the valve f would be thrown by the said controller, forward another step or into its open position. While the valve ft was closed, or the retainer was on, the en-' surely happen, in coupling in cars,'without.

hand setting the valves f then, by the operation of the controllers, some of the valves f would be thrown into their closed, and some into their open position. We obviate this trouble, by the co-operation of our arighter, which is mounted in the same housingf as shown, with the controller. The arighter cylinder h is fitted with a valve-seated piston h, subject'to train-pipe pressure on one side and to a predetermined yielding back pressure on the other, obtained as shown from a resistance spring k of considerable less tension than the controller spring 9 .1

The motion from the piston 71/ is applied to the shaft g and the valve f through a connecting rod h crank-disk h loose on the shaft g, a spring-held pawl h carried by the said crank disk and engaging with a ratchet k fixed to the shaft 9 The ratchet It has teeth 7L corresponding to only one class of the positions, which the valve f 4 may assume. Both the cylinders g and h, are provided with removable plugs Q13 and h respectively, and communicate with the train-pipe through passages g and h, respectively, and a common union pipe section is. If the controller spring g has a tension of forty pounds, the arighters spring h might have a tension of say, fifteen pounds. Both the ratchets g and h under the action of their respective pawls g and 71 turn the shaft g and the Valve f in a'common direction. Either pawl g or k may operate, of course, independently of the other, the idlepawl slipping over its ratchet. Turning now to the action, it is very important to note, that the controller ratchet g has teeth corresponding both to the open positions and the closed positions of the valve f while the arighter ratchet h has teeth corresponding only to one class of said positions of the said valve f Otherwise stated, the valve f is shown as provided with four openihgsf"; and hence'has four open and four closed positions. The controllerratchet g has therefore eight teeth, which teeth are alternately arranged with adjacent teethcorresponding respectively to the open and to the closed positions of-said valve f and the arighter ratchet It, has only four teeth corresponding to one class of the said valves positions. It should be here noted, thatthe extreme strokes'of the controller and arighter pistons are onlysufficient to turn their respective ratchet disks, one-eighth of'a revolution. As shown, on account of the relation'of the controller and the arighter, in their respective times of action, the teeth on the arighter ratchet h correspond to the closed position of the valvef, the exact purpose of which 'will presently appear; Suppose nowthat an engineer'wants to make sure that the retainers are all off, or in other words, that all the valves f 4 are inopen positions; then, he will simply reduce his train-pipe pressure below fifteen poundsfand again recharge his train-pipe to normal pressure. The effect of the reduction would have been to have permitted the pawls g of the controller to have caught a notch on its ratchet y", (when the pressure fell below forty) and the pawl h to have caught its notch on the arighter ratchet h, if necessary. Hence, on recharging the train-pipe, on reaching fifteen pounds, the arighter piston h will be given an outstroke, and the ratchet it will be turned, if the same was caught by the pawl k one step or an eighth turn, imparting a corresponding movement to the valve f and additional steps of movement, one through the arighter, and the other through the con troller, thus bringing it back to its open position; but if it was originally closed, the arighter pawl 72 being thrown back only an eighth turn, will fail to catch a notch, and hence, the valve f will receive only one step of movement imparted by the controller, and will be thereby brought into its open position. Hence, with a series of controllers on the several cars of the train and a corresponding series of arighters, whenever the trainpipe pressure is reduced below fifteen pounds, and v tion for action; and hence, when the engineer charges his train-pipe, in the usual way, the retaining valve mechanism on all the cars will be thrown into their open or normal position. For service application, the engineer will then manipulate the brake-lever, exactly as if no retainers or controllers or arighters were employed, taking care, however, not to reduce the train-pipe pressure quite to or below forty pounds. When he wishes to set the retainers, he simply reduces the trainpipe pressure below forty pounds, taking care not to go down to fifteen pounds, and then recharges his train pipe and auxiliary reservoir; and when he wants to throw the retain ers 01f, he repeats that action. In the emergency action of the brakes, the combined controllers and arighters become automatic, to throw the retaining valve mechanism into its openposition, when the train-pipe is recharged at the release of the brakes; which is due to the fact well-known, of course, that in the emergency action the train-pipe is emptied by a sudden reduction.

The fact that the teeth of the arighter ratchet h correspond to the closed positions of the valve f, is due to the fact, that the controller on the recharging action operates subsequent to the arighter, and is bound to give to the valve an additional step of movement. Hence, the arighter may be said to aright the retaining valve mechanism in its closed position, and the controller to throw the same, when the train-pipe is recharged to normal pressure into their open position. If the controller acted first on the valve f when the recharge is made, the teeth of the arighter ratchet It, would have to correspond to the open class of positions of the valve f.

It will, of course, be understood, that our device may be applied to any form of pressure retaining valve mechanism; and that the detail construction of our device may be changed,in various ways, without departing from the spirit of our invention.

The term predetermined back pressure, as used through the specification and claims, is

a relative term. In other words, the pre- V determined back pressure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,is predetermined with reference to a constant quantity, but this back pressure might, of course, be predetermined with reference toa variable quancity, and hence be variable itself.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United S ates,is as follows:

1. The combination with pressure retaining valve mechanism, for fluid pressure brakemotors, of a controller and an arighter constructed and operating, the former, tothrow said valve mechanism alternately into open and into closed positions, and the latter, to insure the positioning of said valve mechanism always in one class of said positions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with pressure retaining valve mechanism, for fluid pressure brake motors, of a controller and an arighter for said valve mechanism both having reciprocating parts subject to fluid pressure, variable from a common s'ource,on one side, and to different predetermined yielding back pressures on the other, and arranged, with the reciprocating part of thecontroller operative to throw said valve mechanism alternately into its closed and its open positions, and with the reciprocating part of the arighter operative to insure the positioning of said valve mechanism in one of said classes of positions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination,'with pressure retaining valve mechanism, for fluid pressure brake motors, of a primary or controller pawl and ratchet device, operative to alternately throw 'said valve mechanism both into open and into closed positions, and a secondary or arighter pawl and ratchet device, operative to insure the positioning of said valve mechanism in one of said classes of positions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with pressure retaining valve mechanism for fluid pressure brake motors, of a primary or controller pawl and ratchet device, the ratchet member of which has teeth corresponding both to the open and to the closed positions of said valve mechanism, and a secondary or arighter pawl and ratchet device, the ratchet member of which has teeth corresponding to only one class of said positions of said valve,- both of said devices being operative on said valve mechanism, whereby, regardless of the position into which said valve mechanism may have been thrown by the controller pawl and ratchet device, the arighter pawl and ratchet device, when operated, will insure the positioning of said valve mechanism in one class of said positions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. a p v 5. The combination with a train-pipeand a brake motor having pressure retaining valve mechanism, of a controller and an arighter for said valve mechanism, both operative from the train pipe, at difierent pressures, the said controller being applied to alternately throw said valve mechanism into closed and open positions and the said arighter being applied to said valve to insure the'positioning of said valve mechanism in one class of said positions, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

6. The combination with a train-pipe and a brake-motor having pressure retaining valve mechanism, of a controller and an arighter, for said valve mechanism, both havingpistons subject to train-pipe pressure onone side, and to different predetermined yielding back pressures on the other, and pawl and ratchet devices, connecting said pistons with said valve mechanism, the ratchet member connecting the controller having teeth corresponding both to the open and the closed positions of said valve mechanism, and the ratchet connecting the arighter piston having teeth corresponding only to one class of said positions of said valve mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

7. In a fluid pressure railway brake system, the combination with the train-pipe, of a series ,of' brake motors, each having pressure retaining valve mechanism, a corresponding .series of controllers operative, by train-pipe pressure, to throw the whole series of said valve mechanisms alternately into open and closed positions and a corresponding series of arighters, operative from the train pipe, at different pressure than the controllers, to insure the setting of all of said valve mechanisms in one class of said positions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with a common trainpipe and a series of brake-motors, eachhaving pressure retaining Valve mechanism of a corresponding series of controllers and arighters, both having pistons subject to train-pipe pressure on one side, and to resistance springs of diiferent tension on the other, and pawl and ratchet devices connecting said piston with said valve mechanism, the controller ratchet having teeth corresponding both to open and closed positions of said valve mechanisms, and the arighter ratchet having teeth corresponding only to one class of said posi v7 tions of said valve mechanisms, substantially I as and for the purpose set forth.

9; In a fluid pressure railwaybrake system,

cut on reduction of train-pipe pressure, the

combination with a train pipe and brake motors having pressure retaining valve mechanism, of a corresponding series of controllers and arighters for saidvalve mechanisms, both having pistons subject to train-pipe pressure,

on one side, and=to difierent predetermined of the brakes in service application," substantially as described.

10. The combination with a train-pipe and I a brake-motor having a two-way exhaust passage, of a retaining valve proper in one of said ways and a rotating shut-0E valve in the other, and a controller and an arighter both applied to said shut-off valve, consisting of pistons subject to train-pipe pressure on one side, and to springs of difierent resistance on the other, both of less tension than train-pipe pressure at minimum reduction required for serviceapplications, and pawl and ratchet devices connecting the said pistons with said shut-0E valve, of which devices the controller ratchet has teeth corresponding both .to open and closed positions of said shut-ofiivalve and the arighter ratchet has teeth corresponding only to one class of said positions, all the said parts operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN K. LENOKE. FRANK, D. MERCHANT.

6o wherein the setting of the brakes is depend- 

